A Secret Santa Haul with New Look

Let’s get things straight – Secret Santa in the workplace or amongst kind of friends is pants. It’s awkward, unnecessarily stressful and often, you just end up with some useless crud that you would have rather kept the fiver from instead. Secret Santa with bloggers that you love, on the other hand, is very, very good. Not only is there the assuredness that all novelty gifts will be avoided, but there is also the distinct chance that candles will be involved.

As part of their festive Advent Calendar, New Look asked me to pick out some items from their gifts section to exchange with the super talented Olivia Laura. Super excited to join in, I was already prematurely crying over my inability to tie bows and avoiding gift wrap like the plague before they could say ‘Merry Christmas Biatch’. In the spirit of the season, it only made sense to share the lovely gifts that I had received, as well as a sneaky peak at the goodies I picked out in return. If you’re looking for Secret Santa gifts that people will actually want, shopping for yourself or just interested in a little Secret Santa Haul, then keep reading my little elf.

I’ll move on to the gifts
shortly, but first, what would the festive season be without a little bit of
wrapping talk? It’s important to note that this is absolutely not the norm when
it comes to my wrapping prowess. In all honesty, I’m a
‘chuck-it-in-a-gift-bag-and-go’ kind of girl. I’ve had enough tiny pieces of
sellotape stuck to my lip to know how painful that sticky stuff can be, and the
desire to get neat folds and edges soon wears off after about the third
present. If you come from the same camp as me but still want your gifts to look
that little bit more special, then gift boxes are a good way to go (though they
can get pricey, so maybe give them a miss if it’s just a bath gift set for your
distant Aunt).

If you want to make a lasting impression on your Secret Santa giftee, the rustic, winter chic theme is very on trend and will leave you looking *super*cool*and*super*effortless* (can you believe there are trends in gift wrapping?!). Think un-coloured cardboard and thick brown wrapping paper, with natural string, wooden accessories and traditional foliage. Basically put yourself in the shoes of an olden day post office worker and strip away any unnatural colours or textures, and you’ve hit this theme on the head. Character mouse important but non-essential.

My gifts

Gurl did good. I’m instantly happy any time that I open a parcel with candles inside, but when a candle is so nicely scented and so aesthetically pleasing as this one, it makes it ten times better. Held in a geometrical-styled jar, the cassis berry scent is PERFECT for the festive season and is currently being used to battle the smell of BOY in Keiran’s bedroom. Running with the geometrical theme, I also received this copper votive candle holder, an item which doubles up as the perfect addition for decorating any flat lay.

And the pièce de résistance? This Chloé-esque satchel bag with gold detailing to boot. The Chloé Faye has taken the fashion world by storm since 2015 and is loved by fashion huns across the globe for it’s characteristcally Chloé Boho vibe and that circle detailing. As beautiful as the Faye shapes are, they certainly come with a hefty price tag, and definitely one that is not suited for Secret Santa (although my stocking is always open for donations of this sort). For a fraction of the price, this lookalike is practical (it can fit books and lil’ laptops), functional (it has a top handle and crossbody strap) and you won’t have a heart attack if some chump spills alcohol down it during New Year’s Eve. Win, win, win.

I’ll leave Olivia to do the revealing when it comes to the gifts I chose for her, but I very much went down the comfy route. Think PJ’s, slippers and a little cosy something for the daytime. I’m a creature of habit, aren’t I?

Rather than letting me know if you’re picking up any Secret Santa gifts this year, comment down below with your best and worst Christmas presents of all time. Go on, lend me a little Christmas cheer.

This post was sponsored by New Look, but all content, imagery and festive spirit are my own.